Yes, you’ve had it all along.
Why You’re Ignoring Your Intuition
Long ago, when you were a child, you had wonderful, effective intuition. Then, slowly, over time, you learned to ignore that intuition. You may have grown up in a dysfunctional family, had cultural norms that taught children were to be seen and not heard, or you had a toxic person in your life that wanted power over you. Even at school, you were taught to wait, raise your hand, and those in charge may or may not listen to your idea. The ‘experts’, like teachers, parents, doctors, and sports coaches, know what is best for you.
In a loving, guiding home, or mentoring situation, you would have been encouraged to give your thoughts. Your thoughts would have been given consideration, along with everyone else’s, no matter what age you were. You probably had at least one area, where you were told to sit back and listen. Your thoughts were not validated.
Your Intuition Is Still There, Hidden by Your Ego
You’ve always had intuition. It has never gone away. Possibly, it has just been hidden somewhere deep inside your mind. Or perhaps, you have been hearing it, but you ignore it, and opt for the wisdom of others outside of you. You think, “What do I know? This doctor has had lots of experience dealing with this disease.” Or you think, “My boss is higher up than me. They must be in that position for a reason.” Maybe you listen to your parents, because that is what they’ve always told you that you must do.
Whatever the reason, you’ve been hearing the whisper of your intuition all along. Sometimes, you say to yourself, “I knew I shouldn’t have listened to my dad! I had a feeling that was going to turn out bad.” You felt a little tightness in your stomach when you decided to go to work for your Uncle Louie, but Dad said it was going to be great.
You didn’t really want to get the remedy the doctor prescribed for your daughter, but he talked you into it, and now she is having awful side effects.
You knew the moment you walked into your new office, that something felt off. It was almost too late when you figured out they had some shady business going on, and you quit right away. Now, you feel like you’ve lost some job hunting time.
Don’t Worry, It’s Not Too Late To Start Listening to Your Intuition
You can still get back your intuition. It’s never too late! Start with finding a quiet place, so you won’t have distractions. Follow these steps to begin listening to your inner knowing, or Higher Power.
- Find silence. Here are a few places, or situations, that make for good intuition listening.
- In the morning before everyone else in your household wakes up
- In the shower
- In your car, with the radio off
- Taking a walk outside in nature
- Swimming (under the water, with repetitive movements)
- During a repetitive hobby, like knitting, drawing, or woodworking
2. Turn off technology. It is best to have no distractions, unless, of course, you use your device to play soft music, binaural drums, or a guided meditation.
3. Focus on your breathing. When you breathe slow, and steady, it sends a signal to your brain that you are safe and relaxed, as opposed to when you sense a threat and start breathing shallow and quick. Take in a deep breath through your nose, that extends your belly with air. Breathe out slowly through your mouth. Repeat three times or more.
4. Ask a question that you would like an answer to.
- “What do I need to hear today?”
- “What should I do about _________?”
- “What is my next, right step?”
Then go back to focusing on your breathing.
5. Your intuition will come as a quick whisper. Then, your ego will step in and tell you why that thought is wrong. Your intuitive thought will be loving, and guiding you towards your greater good. Your ego will say things like, “That will never work!”, “I don’t know how to do that.”, or, “You’re not experienced enough.”, for example.
A Time I Listened To My Intuition
I had been teaching at an elementary school, where the principal was difficult for me to work with. I was sensitive, and she definitely was not. I had finally gotten to a place where I was in a flow, working with a team I loved.
One day, towards the end of school, my principal announced she was leaving for another job. The new principal came in to meet with us and answer questions. As soon as I saw her, I had a gut feeling I should look for another job. There was nothing wrong with this woman. She was well put together, and answered questions patiently. I wasn’t sure if it was my intuition, or just fear from past experiences.
I decided to ask a friend about this principal, someone that knew her from another position. My friend said, “I’ve never worked with her, but she’s nice as a friend.” Instinctively I knew, without my friend saying, that this woman and I may not be a great fit. I immediately began looking for another position. It was fine, because I really wanted to start working part-time.
I ended up finding a part-time job at another school, closer to my home. The whole process was so easy. I applied online, got called in for an interview, and was offered a job immediately. I loved the school, the principal, and the team I worked with. That was proof that my intuition had been right.
Later, a few friends from my old school, told me what a difficult time they had working for the new principal. Some of the teachers said she was fine, but I felt like I made the right decision.
A Few Last Tips
Play around with the different ways to listen to your intuition. I really like guided meditations and automatic writing. I often have to listen to a meditation two times before I get any intuitive hits. You can find free meditations of every kind on the Insight Timer app.
I also like to do automatic writing. That’s where you sit in a quiet place, ask a question, and then begin writing. You keep your pen moving the whole time, even if you have to write, ‘I don’t know what to write’, all over the page. Usually, for me, it sounds like I’m giving myself advice. I’ve heard others say that the words begin to sound different, or their handwriting looks different. That hasn’t happened to me yet, but I do work out some difficult problems with my writing. You could also try drawing if you are a visual person.
Finally, start with 1-5 minutes if that’s all you have. In the beginning, you may feel like you are wasting valuable time sitting still, but pretty soon, you’ll begin noticing how much more focused you are. Are you one of those people that has an endless to-do list in your head, or worry thoughts rolling around in there? Talk about a time waster!
I noticed that I stopped walking in the pantry, and forgetting why I was there. I stopped forgetting my lunch at home, or to sign my daughter’s field trip paper for school. Taking the time to quiet your mind once or twice a day is definitely worth it!
Let me know in the comments if you have a practice in place to listen to your intuition. Is there a time you listened to your intuition, and it paid off, or worse, you didn’t listen, and you were sorry?
Want to know more about beginning your own morning routine? Check out my Transformational Morning Routine For Empaths mini-course.
